ER Thomas-Detroit Company

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ER Thomas-Detroit Company
legal form Company
founding 1906
resolution 1908
Seat Detroit , Michigan , USA
management Hugh Chalmers
Branch Automobiles

ER Thomas-Detroit Company was an American manufacturer of automobiles .

Company history

Erwin Ross Thomas ran ER Thomas Motor Car Company in Buffalo , New York, USA . Engineer Howard E. Coffin and salesman Roy D. Chapin previously worked for Oldsmobile . They persuaded Thomas to start a joint venture. It was founded in Detroit , Michigan in 1906 . A source cites May 2, 1906 exactly. This is where the production of automobiles took place. The brand name was Thomas-Detroit . The marketing was done by Thomas in Buffalo.

By July 1907, 503 vehicles had been built. Thomas ordered 750 more. According to a source, these 750 vehicles were still in production. Chapin and Coffin lost interest over time. They negotiated with Hugh Chalmers, who eventually bought Thomas's shares. Chalmers became the new president on December 3, 1907. In June 1908 they founded the Chalmers Motor Car Company as the successor company.

vehicles

Only one model was on offer. It was a little weaker and cheaper than the vehicles from Thomas, who thus expanded his range downwards. There are the names Four , 40 HP and Model 4-40 .

The four-cylinder engine had a bore of 127 mm and a stroke of 120.65 mm , which resulted in a displacement of 6113 cc . The engine output was specified as 40 hp . The drive was via a cardan shaft on the rear axle.

The chassis had a wheelbase of 286 cm . Four different body designs were available. Runabout and touring car cost 2,750 dollars . The sedan and landaulet were on the price lists for $ 3,750.

Received vehicles

A vehicle from 1907 still exists. It is Model C called. The cubic capacity of 5807 cm³ differs slightly. The chassis is yellow, the body blue. The open body of the runabout offers space for two people at the front. Behind it is a jump seat. The vehicle has the chassis number 7138 and the engine number 7166. It was owned by the family of the first buyer for around 100 years. Laferriere Classic Cars sold it between 2017 and 2018.

The Bonhams auction house auctioned another Model C on June 3, 2018 , which is dated around 1907. The cubic capacity of 354 cubic inches corresponds to about 5801 cm³. The vehicle has a green chassis and a black touring car body with rear doors. With chassis number 7146 and engine number 7180, it is probably slightly younger than the vehicle mentioned above. The sales price at the auction was the equivalent of 55,073 euros .

literature

  • Beverly Rae Kimes, Henry Austin Clark Jr .: Standard catalog of American Cars. 1805-1942. Digital edition . 3. Edition. Krause Publications, Iola 2013, ISBN 978-1-4402-3778-2 , pp. 1466 (English).
  • George Nicholas Georgano (Ed.): The Beaulieu Encyclopedia of the Automobile . Volume 3: P-Z . Fitzroy Dearborn Publishers, Chicago 2001, ISBN 1-57958-293-1 , pp. 1585–1586 (English).

Individual evidence

  1. a b c d e Beverly Rae Kimes, Henry Austin Clark Jr .: Standard catalog of American Cars. 1805-1942. Digital edition . 3. Edition. Krause Publications, Iola 2013, ISBN 978-1-4402-3778-2 , pp. 1466 (English).
  2. George Nicholas Georgano (Ed.): The Beaulieu Encyclopedia of the Automobile . Volume 3: P-Z . Fitzroy Dearborn Publishers, Chicago 2001, ISBN 1-57958-293-1 , pp. 1585–1586 (English).
  3. a b Book on Hudson (English, accessed June 8, 2019)
  4. Book on Roy D. Chapin (accessed June 8, 2019)
  5. Sale of the yellow-blue vehicle (accessed June 8, 2019)
  6. Auction 2018 (accessed June 8, 2019)